1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a CAD-data management system for processing a plurality of different types of CAD data, a method for managing a plurality of different types of CAD data, and a computer-readable storage medium which stores a program realizing the CAD-data management system for processing a plurality of different types of CAD data.
2) Description of the Related Art
In the field of machine drawing production, the three-dimensional CAD (Computer-Aided Design) is widely used. Currently, various types of three-dimensional CAD application software (hereinafter called CAD applications) are available in the market. Those CAD applications have individually unique functions. The data structures handled by the CAD applications are adapted for the unique functions of the CAD applications, respectively. In other words, the respective CAD applications generate CAD data having individually unique data structures. Further, individually different functions are added to the respective CAD applications when necessary. Therefore, it is impossible to achieve data compatibility between different types of CAD applications.
Generally, in order to manage different types of CAD data, each CAD data item is accompanied by an attribute which indicates the type of the CAD data item. When a CAD data item is accessed, the attribute is referred to in order to recognize the type of the CAD data item, and a CAD application corresponding to the recognized type is started. Then, the started CAD application loads the CAD data item, and the contents of the CAD data is displayed.
Manufacturers of machine parts are usually required to supply drawings of machine parts designated by customers, to the customers in the form of CAD data. When a manufacturer has a plurality of customers using a plurality of different CAD applications, the manufacturer is required to use the plurality of different CAD applications. Further, in each manufacturer, different divisions often use different CAD applications which are suitable for the respective divisions. Thus, usually, a plurality of different types of CAD data are concurrently used in a company. In the above situation, there are demands for integrated management of a plurality of different types of CAD data.
However, many CAD data items contain information indicating relationship between CAD data items, such as assembly information. In order to produce a system which enables integrated management of a plurality of different types of CAD data, it is necessary to enable loading of the plurality of different types of CAD data. Conventionally, in order to enable loading of a plurality of different types of CAD data, a plurality of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) which are respectively unique to a plurality of CAD applications corresponding to the plurality of different types of CAD data must be used. Nevertheless, it takes a great amount of time to produce application software for integrated management a plurality of different types of CAD data, by using the above APIs. Therefore, a system which enables integrated management of a plurality of different types of CAD data, and can be easily produced is required.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for managing a plurality of different types of CAD data in an efficient, integrated manner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a CAD-data management system which enables integrated management of a plurality of different types of CAD data, and can be easily produced.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a computer-readable storage medium which stores a program realizing a CAD-data management system for managing a plurality of different types of CAD data in an efficient, integrated manner.
(1) According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for managing CAD data by using a CAD-data processing function being capable of processing a predetermined type of CAD data, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a manipulation input designating CAD data of the predetermined type; (b) generating a processing request corresponding to the manipulation input and being directed to the CAD-data processing function; and (c) executing processing defined in an interface function in conjunction with the CAD-data processing function, where the interface function is predefined corresponding to the processing request.
(2) According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for managing a plurality of types of CAD data by using a plurality of CAD-data processing functions respectively capable of processing a plurality of predetermined types of CAD data, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a manipulation input designating CAD data of one of the plurality of types; (b) generating a processing request corresponding to the manipulation input and being directed to one of the plurality of CAD-data processing functions which is capable of processing CAD data of the one of the plurality of types; and (c) executing processing defined in an interface function in conjunction with the one of the plurality of CAD-data processing functions, where the interface function is predefined corresponding to the processing request.
(3) According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a CAD-data management system for managing CAD data, comprising: a CAD-data processing unit which is capable of processing a predetermined type of CAD data; a processing-request generation unit which receives a manipulation input designating CAD data of the predetermined type, and generates a processing request corresponding to the manipulation input and being directed to the CAD-data processing unit; and a linkage processing unit which executes processing defined in a function in conjunction with the CAD-data processing unit, where the function is predefined corresponding to the processing request.
(4) According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a CAD-data management system for managing a plurality of types of CAD data, comprising: a plurality of CAD-data processing units which is capable of processing a plurality of predetermined types of CAD data; a processing-request generation unit which receives a manipulation input designating CAD data of one of the plurality of types, and generates a processing request corresponding to the manipulation input and being directed to one of the plurality of CAD-data processing units which is capable of processing CAD data of the one of the plurality of types; and a linkage processing unit which executes processing defined in a first function in conjunction with the one of the plurality of CAD-data processing units, where the first function is predefined corresponding to the processing request.
The CAD-data management system according to the fourth aspect of the present invention may have one or any possible combination of the following additional features (i) to (v).
(i) The CAD-data management system may further comprise a data-structure displaying unit which displays a data structure of a plurality of CAD data items so that a user can select at least a portion of the plurality of CAD data items as the CAD data designated by the manipulation input, and the processing-request generation unit recognizes the portion of the plurality of CAD data items based on the manipulation input.
(ii) The CAD-data management system may further comprise: a memory; a loading unit which loads in the memory a plurality of second functions including the first function and corresponding to a plurality of processing requests which can be generated by the processing-request generation unit; a pointer table; and a pointer registration unit which registers in the pointer table a plurality of pointers which respectively point to a plurality of locations in which the a plurality of second functions are loaded in the memory. The linkage processing unit locates the first function based on one of the plurality of pointers.
(iii) In the CAD-data management system having the feature (ii), the plurality of second functions may be contained in a plurality of modules corresponding to the plurality of CAD-data processing units, and the loading unit loads the plurality of modules in the memory.
(iv) In the CAD-data management system having the feature (iii), each of the plurality of modules may include a function of responding to an inquiry about a type of CAD data which one of the plurality of CAD-data processing units corresponding to the each of the plurality of modules can process.
(v) In the CAD-data management system having the feature (iv), the processing-request generation unit may output an inquiry about processing which can be executed by one of the plurality of CAD-data processing units, and display a menu on a screen according to a response to the inquiry, where the menu includes items of processing which the one of the plurality of CAD-data processing units can execute.
(5) According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium storing a program which is to be executed by a computer, and realizes a CAD-data management system for managing CAD data, comprising: a CAD-data processing unit which is capable of processing a predetermined type of CAD data; a processing-request generation unit which receives a manipulation input designating CAD data of the predetermined type, and generates a processing request corresponding to the manipulation input and being directed to the CAD-data processing unit; and a linkage processing unit which executes processing defined in a function in conjunction with the CAD-data processing unit, where the function is predefined corresponding to the processing request.
That is, the program stored in the computer-readable storage medium according to the fifth aspect of the present invention makes the computer realize the CAD-data management system according to the third aspect of the present invention.
(6) According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium storing a program which is to be executed by a computer, and realizes a CAD-data management system for managing a plurality of types of CAD data, comprising: a plurality of CAD-data processing units which is capable of processing a plurality of predetermined types of CAD data; a processing-request generation unit which receives a manipulation input designating CAD data of one of the plurality of types, and generates a processing request corresponding to the manipulation input and being directed to one of the plurality of CAD-data processing units which is capable of processing CAD data of the one of the plurality of types; and a linkage processing unit which executes processing defined in a first function in conjunction with the one of the plurality of CAD-data processing units, where the first function is predefined corresponding to the processing request.
That is, the program stored in the computer-readable storage medium according to the sixth aspect of the present invention makes the computer realize the CAD-data management system according to the fourth aspect of the present invention.
The computer-readable storage medium according to the sixth aspect of the present invention may have one or any possible combination of the aforementioned additional features (i) to (v).
According to the present invention, a function corresponding to a processing request which is output from the processing-request generation unit is predefined so that processing defined in the predefined function is executed in conjunction with a CAD-data processing unit to which the processing request is directed to. Thus, the requested processing can be performed by the CAD-data processing unit. In addition, according to the present invention, it is easy to add a new CAD data management function for an arbitrary type of CAD data.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiment of the present invention by way of example.